Poinsettia plant named ‘Duebelita’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Duebelita’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; large inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEBELITA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duebelita’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous Poinsettia plants with attractive flower bract coloration.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Jun. 1, 1999 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-0596-12, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-2554-18, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany on Oct. 1, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since Oct. 1, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duebelita’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duebelita’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Large inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts.     -   5. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in leaf color as plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in growth habit as plants of the new Poinsettia are more vigorous than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Fiscor’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fiscor’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were larger and more vigorous         than plants of ‘Fiscor’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger leaves with longer         petioles than plants of ‘Fiscor’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger flower bracts than         plants of ‘Fiscor’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant. The photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duebelita’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels were about 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 12-cm containers and were pinched one time five weeks after planting the cuttings. Plants were 16 weeks from planting when the photograph and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Duebelita’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia             pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-0596-12, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia             pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-2554-18, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About nine days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 22° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             uniform plant habit; inverted triangle, mounding; large             inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane; vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about seven to eight lateral branches develop after             pinching. Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 11.9 cm. Width: About 8.7 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Lobed; dentate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Rugose, glabrous. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137A to 137B;             venation, close to 146B to 146C. Petiole: Length: About             6.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 187B to 187C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with red-colored flower bracts subtending             the cyathia; one inflorescence per lateral branch with             inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during the             autumn and winter under long nyctoperiod conditions;             inflorescence initiation and development can be induced             under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions; early             flowering habit, response time is about eight weeks.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good             substance and bract color for about twelve weeks under             interior conditions.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 28 cm. Height (depth):             About 4 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15 to 17.             Length: About 12.3 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; slightly             dentate. Texture, upper surface: Glabrous; smooth, Texture,             lower surface: Glabrous; rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing and transitional bracts, upper surface:             Close to 46A. Developing bracts, lower surface: Close to             53B. Transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to 46A. Fully             developed bracts, upper surface: Close to 46B; venation,             close to 46B; color becoming closer to 46C with development.             Fully developed bracts, lower surface: Close to 46B;             venation, close to 46B; color becoming closer to 46C with             development. Bract petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter:             About 2.4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 53A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten. Diameter of cyathia             cluster: About 2 cm. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 4 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: Close to 144B. Color, mature:             Close to 144A. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: One.             Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Close to             17A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             ten. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             53A. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther             color: Close to 187A. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 9A. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One.             Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style             color: Close to 144B. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color:             Close to 59A to 59B. Ovary color: Close to 144A. Seed/fruit:             Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettia     plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 12° C. to about     40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Duebelita’ as illustrated and described. 